Design And Construction Of An Inverter Based Solar Powered Charging Station

ABSTRACT

In the past couple of years, advancements in technology put devices in our pockets that we could not have even dreamed of years ago. However, these devices often have drawbacks. One of the most pressing issues with phones, tablets, and laptop PCs is power. We have not yet been able to develop efficient energy sources to match the efficiency of our devices. In fact, many laptops can drain a standard battery from a full charge in a matter of a couple hours. This team is proposing a solution that will provide power to charge devices using power generated from solar energy.

A solar powered charging station is designed so that devices can be charged outdoors and in an environmentally friendly way. This system converts solar energy to electricity and stores it in a battery bank. A charge controller prevents the batteries from being overcharged and prevents the system from being used when the batteries need charging.

 CHAPTER ONE

1.1                                                          INTRODUCTION

In the course of the increasing commoditization and integration of solar energy into human life, the trend of setting up a solar charging station along city streets and highways all around the globe has the potential to replace the classic filling stations on a mass scale.

In rural areas of developing countries many households do not have access to electricity and power their radios with dry cell batteries or use candles and kerosene lamps for domestic lighting. Some employ car batteries that are charged in stations for lighting and entertainment.

Battery charging stations (BCSs) can be a viable option to provide electricity in un-electrified areas and where incomes are insufficient to pay for solutions like solar home systems (SHS).

In electrified areas grid-based BCSs moreover can serve to extend access to electricity to those who have no direct connection in their home, thus profiting indirectly from the electricity infrastructure.

Charged (car) batteries in fact can provide services comparable to the upper end of the pico PV range at lower investment costs, though running costs eventually are higher.

A little electricity, like from car batteries, can considerably improve living conditions of its users. Electrically powered lamps improve domestic working conditions at night in particular for women and can also enhance studying conditions for children, not only because of the better light but also since they reduce fire hazard and do not emit noxious pollutants. Other services that are highly valued and only require a little electricity as can e.g. be delivered by car batteries are radio and tv for information and entertainment, and air circulation (fans) for basic cooling. Also mobile phones, crucial for access to modern communication, helping people in rural areas to obtain information and thus e.g. facilitating commercial operations, can easily be charged off car-batteries, though they can also be charged directly at a BCS. In order to provide such services a car battery should be recharged a few times a month.

To a small extent, electricity from charged (car) batteries can also contribute to raising incomes of small businesses and handicraft, especially in communal market towns. Shop owners, for example, can open their shops in the evenings thus not only raising their income, but also delivering an improved service to the community.

In such schemes mostly lead-acid wet cell car-, truck- and / or motorcycle batteries are used as they are most easily available on the market, either new or second hand, and as they are produced locally in some countries. While thus often the least cost option, this type of (starter) batteries cannot really stand deep discharging as normally done when used for such services, implying their capacity is decreasing over time and their effective lifespan is limited. Proper deep-cycle batteries have much better performance in such set-ups but often are hard to find and cost a lot more.

Electricity from rechargeable batteries can provide a lot more service at far lower costs than disposable dry cell batteries. They are also the environmentally friendlier option provided their eventual disposal / recycling, is properly organised, which in itself is worth doing.

The batteries are transported to the nearest grid, diesel or solar-based battery charging station where they are recharged for a fee. In addition to that fee, running cost of the system may thus include the transport costs to and from the BCS. Diesel generators can charge a limited number of batteries at a time, and service costs highly depend on diesel costs. Grid based charging stations are usually less subject to quantity restrictions and changing diesel prices, but might be located far from the rural population. Solar battery charging stations (SBCS) constructed in rural areas are an alternative solution to provide the local population with energy for basic needs and reduce the time and expenses required for travelling.

1.2                                             OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT

The main objective of this work is to build a device which is constructed to be used in rural areas to provide alternative solution to provide the local population with energy for basic needs and reduce the time and expenses required for travelling. This project will be required to take energy from the sun generated by solar panels and convert the energy to AC voltage via the inverter, which will be able to charge cellphones.

1.3                                                   AIM OF THE PROJECT

The aim of this project is to investigate the problem of providing an outdoor power source for charging devices in an environmentally friendly way to help reduce the demand of power from other methods. Our aim for this project will not only be to generate power from solar energy, but to also conduct research to improve the efficiency of solar panels. We will have to not only create this device but to optimize the project for sale as to create a cost-effective, economically friendly outdoor charging station for most electrical devices.

1.4                                              PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT

The main purpose of this work is to provide a viable option to provide electricity in un-electrified areas and where incomes are insufficient to pay for solutions like solar home systems (SHS).

1.5                                              PROBLEM OF THE PROJECT

One of the problem noticed in this work is the cost. The cost of installing the device including the costs for the construction of the building; for the bigger SBCSs costs are roughly proportionally higher.

Another problem to this project will be to maximize the solar efficiency to provide the most power to the system that can be generated by the solar panels. Weather and solar patterns must be accounted for when making all of the calculations for the efficiency and output of the solar panels. Climate factors, such as clouds, moisture, haze, dust, and  smog will have a degrading effect on the output power of the station’s panel array.

Obtaining the greatest amount of sunlight throughout the day needs to be for optimum output. Different enhancements to the solar panels such as adding solar concentrators or a solar tracking device may be necessary adding to the cost. Research on these devices is currently being done so that we may incorporate them into the final product while we test the smaller components of the charging station.

1.6                                         SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROJECT

This device helps in keep devices running most especially in rural areas where mains power supply is always an issue

To a small extent, electricity from this device or charged batteries can also contribute to raising incomes of small businesses and handicraft, especially in communal market towns. Shop owners, for example, can open their shops in the evenings thus not only raising their income, but also delivering an improved service to the community.

1.7                                                 SCOPE OF THE PROJECT

we determined that this project would need to follow the example of any electrical system. It must have a source, a function, and an output. For our source, we will be using solar panels optimized with solar tracking. The system will contain the charge controller and an inverter to convert from 12 Volt DC stored in the batteries to 220 Volt AC as the output which is from the inverter used. Figure 1 below shows a block diagram of the system. The solar tracker would be affixed to the solar panel and would relay information to the controller.

1.8                                         APPLICATIONS OF THE PROJECT

The application of the project includes public places like:

1. Village square
2. Worship places

• Markets

1. Industries
3. Cities

1.9                                              SYSTEM BLOCK DIAGRAM

Before carrying out any project, the block diagram must be drawn and fully understood. Block diagram gives a pictorial understanding of any work. The block diagram of the system is as below: